YUVI TO PLAY IN RANJHI TROPHY

Yuvraj Singh, named India's 12th man for the second Test against Pakistan that began Friday, has been released by the cricket board to play for Punjab against Bengal in the Ranji Trophy match starting Saturday.

The in-form Yuvraj will proceed to Siliguri for the match. But ex-players felt that if he was not to be played at the Eden Gardens, he could have been asked to proceed Thursday itself. India's playing XI that played here is believed to have been decided the night before.

The 25-year-old left-hander, adjudged the Man of the ODI Series against Australia, was also not played in the first Test in Delhi. He has so far played 19 Tests and 195 ODIs.

Many experts and former Test players, including Arun Lal, believe that Yuvraj should have been included in the XI.

"He is the man in form and he deserved to play Test matches too. If you don't play him now, when will you? He has just won a Man of the Series award and he must full of confidence at this moment," Lal said.